Related Stories

Campbellton-Restigouche Centre MLA Greg Davis will not reoffer in September's election. (Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick)

The New Brunswick legislature has ordered a review of the expense claims of Campbellton-Restigouche Centre MLA Greg Davis and will make the results public next week.

Attorney-General Ted Flemming says taxpayers deserve answers.

"We do want clarification. And clarification is what it is we're going to get," he said on Tuesday.

"That's what the government wants. That's what the PC party wants. That's what the Opposition wants. And that's what the people of New Brunswick are entitled to."

Flemming's comments are the first time the Alward government has acknowledged there's a problem with Davis's office rent expense claims after more than a week of questions about what became of money paid to Davis for his riding office.

Davis claimed the maximum $40,000 for his office. Last week, a bailiff's notice was placed on Davis's office door, threatening to seize his office furniture over $6,665 in unpaid rent.

That same day, Davis announced he would not be re-offering in September's provincial election.

Police involvement remains unclear

"I don't know what the report is going to say, but I am committed that it be tabled in the legislature and it be placed in the public domain. There's no greater transparency than that," said Flemming.

It's too early to speculate whether police will look at Davis's spending, said Flemming.

"A week from now, the report will be there. It will be there for all to see. Questions like that I think are unfair and I think they're ahead of the process," he said.

"I'm not saying it's not a legitimate question at some point, but I don't know the answer and I'm not going to go there."

The Progressive Conservative and Liberal members of the legislative administration committee agreed to review how Davis spent public funds on his riding office, dating back to 2010.

The committee met behind closed doors on Tuesday afternoon.

Flemming promised the review would be "truthful and open."

The results will be made public on March 25, said Speaker Dale Graham.

In other legislatures, all members' receipts are public, but in New Brunswick, the only information taxpayers see are the total amounts.

Graham contends Davis' total, and a confidential review of his receipts by legislature staff should suffice — even though it took a sheriff threatening to seize his office equipment to reveal Davis's spending problems.

Davis has not been in the legislature since the session resumed in early February.

His office reopened this week and the landlord said the rent had been dealt with.